Newsletter: Essential California: The ‘Holy Grail’ for earthquake scientists gets destroyed

Good morning. It is Wednesday, July 6. A 300-pound robot is the new security guard at Uber’s inspection lot in San Francisco. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Dangerous tactic

When undercover CHP officers shot at suspects in a moving car this weekend, they used a tactic that’s been outlawed in many major cities because experts believe it’s too dangerous. They fired at a moving car. “Only a fool thinks a … bullet is going to stop a 3,800-pound car. Nobody is really shooting at the vehicle, they’re shooting at the driver,” said Sid Heal, a retired Los Angeles sheriff’s commander and chairman of strategy development for the National Tactical Officers Assn. Los Angeles Times

Earthquake landmark

City crews in Hayward inadvertently destroyed earthquake scientists’ “Holy Grail” by doing their jobs. Since the 1970s, researchers have monitored a curb at Rose and Prospect streets as the Hayward fault pushes it out of alignment. Last month, city crews decided to fix the curb. “It’s sad. It was a real letdown. It’s really unusual to have such a clean piece of evidence right here,” said Andrew Alden, an Oakland science writer. Los Angeles Times

Celebrity trial

Minh Quang Hong may not be a household name in America, but in his native Vietnam, the comedian is a big deal. And that means his criminal case — he’s accused of molesting a boy in Southern California — is getting a lot of attention in his home country. “The Vietnamese in the homeland want to see how U.S. law will judge a person from Vietnam. In Vietnam, a man with money can flee. He can just get away with it. So people tune in and they’re asking: ‘What is fairness?’” said John Dinh Xuan Thai, program director for Little Saigon TV. Los Angeles Times

L.A. AT LARGE

Bizarre fire: A mama bear and her two cubs were in a rural section of Banning on Tuesday when the little ones climbed a power pole and touched a transformer. The 6-month-old cubs were both electrocuted and when they fell to the ground, their fur ignited the brush around them. Firefighters responded to the scene but had to deal with the mother bear who continued to protect her cubs. Los Angeles Times

Future of L.A.: What will Los Angeles look like in 2056? Overcrowded, expensive and ugly? Or clean, green and congestion-free? It depends on your worldview.

Getting through security: American Airlines and the TSA are partnering to speed up security checks at LAX. The two additional screening lines could cut wait times by as much as 30%. Similar partnerships are slated for Chicago, Miami and Dallas. “To ensure that we remain up to date in an evolving threat environment, TSA continues to test and deploy state-of-the-art technologies,” said TSA administrator Peter V. Neffenger. Los Angeles Times

Confirmed case: A Riverside County resident is confirmed to have the Zika virus, according to health officials. The 50-year-old man tested positive for the disease after returning from the Dominican Republic. Press-Enterprise

Fourth fallout: A rogue firework sparked a fire on the Los Angeles River on Monday night. The brush fire burned about a half-acre before it was extinguished by firefighters. Eastsider LA

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Campaign fundraiser: Presumptive GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump will be in Bel-Air next week for a fundraiser. Donors are being asked to give as much as $449,400 per person. For $2,700, donors can get into the reception, but it doesn’t include dinner or a picture with The Donald. Los Angeles Times

Smooth it over: House Speaker Paul Ryan is trying to correct Donald Trump’s damage in Silicon Valley, where donations to the National Republican Congressional Committee are down 60% compared with the same time in 2012. “The fundraising numbers paint a grim picture for a GOP that’s long been eager to make headway with tech executives, particularly those who support limited government and lower corporate taxes.” Politico

Disenfranchised voters: People of color are far less likely to participate in California politics, and that’s particularly pronounced in Fresno. “The data reveal a narrow range of voices are informing public policy. The good thing is that can change,” said John Dobard of Advancement Project. Fresno Bee

Lesson plan: LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King is getting ready to release her three-year plan for the district. As she prepares the report, King has been on a listening tour. The most asked about change from parents and students is choice, King said. ABC 7

Space travel: NASA’s Juno spacecraft is now orbiting Jupiter. “We just did the hardest thing NASA’s ever done,” said Scott Bolton, the mission’s principal investigator. The New Yorker

CRIME AND COURTS

Attacked at home: A 33-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of beating and sexually assaulting an 80-year-old woman in her Hollywood retirement community. Marcus Datwione Peete was charged with four felonies and could face life in prison if convicted. Los Angeles Times

Man mauled: A former police dog was stabbed late Sunday night as he attacked a man who had brought the animal a bowl of water. The dog, who was known as Thor, was euthanized due to the extent of his injuries. He had previously worked for the Long Beach Police Department. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

In flight: A 16-year-old boy from Compton is preparing to beat a Guinness World Record — Isaiah Cooper wants to be the first African American pilot to fly solo around the world when he turns 18. “When I fly I feel invincible, like I’m on the top of the world. I love it,” Cooper said. FOX 11

Paper or plastic: What’s up with the pink shopping bags you see in San Francisco’s Chinatown? California Sunday Magazine

Simulating empathy: Can virtual reality make Californians care about the homeless? Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab is hoping to answer that question. “Once you understand the world as someone else sees it, and inhabit their inner life, you’re on the hook,” said Jamil Zaki, an assistant professor of psychology at Stanford’s Social Neuroscience Lab. KQED

Hold the ketchup: The first- and second-place finishers at Monday’s hot dog eating contest on Coney Island both hail from San Jose. Joey Chestnut ate 70 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Reigning champion Matt Stonie finished in second place with 53 hot dogs. SFist

Light snacks: If Chestnut and Stonie are still hungry, they should plan to head over to the California State Fair. The menu there includes the Elvis burger, the Caveman Turkey Leg and deep-fried pastrami pizza. (There’s also lots of fruits and vegetables if food comas aren’t your thing). Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Francisco will have clouds and a high of 66 degrees. Sacramento will be sunny and 89. Los Angeles will start the day with clouds before the sun comes out and highs reach 77 degrees. Riverside will have clouds and a high of 86. San Diego will reach a high of 73.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Heidi Rain:

“On my first trip to California, I found it odd to see palm trees at an airport but sensed a sweetness, warmth and a certain calm to the air. The father I’d only seen once in 14 years drove us along Pacific Coast Highway to his apartment in Malibu. I knew he lived near the ocean, but not how close. We entered his apartment and I walked straight over to the large windowed sliding door. There, in front of and slightly under me, was the Pacific Ocean. I felt the excitement of awakening to the adventure of California.”

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.